Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial, epic, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Belgian artist Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe better known as ‘Sal-Ocin’ and still involved as live member with famous artists such as Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, In Slaughter Natives ao is back on track unleashing his newest opus “Inter It Tenebris”. The album wants to be an exorcism of four demons, which you’ll find back in each song. The album has been released in his homeland by Consouling Records. There also is an important visual work accompanying the album and realized by his partner Christel Morvan. Each song has its visual content, which you can watch by the use of an application on your smartphone.

Content: “Inter In Tenebris” features 4 long duration and elaborate cuts. Multiple influences are running through the composition, but the main characteristics are the overwhelming atmospheres supporting the album, the empowering epic orchestrations and chants –which sometimes remind me of In Slaughter Natives, and the complex percussion patterns remaining an essential element of Empusae.

+ + + : Each time again, I make the same observation that Empusae is getting better and better album after album. This work is without a shadow of doubt the masterpiece from Empusae’s discography. The tracks have been carefully crafted, mixing numerous influences and featuring impressive sound layers. The production is totally high-tech while the writing is sophisticated –which is an aspect mainly revealed by the drum sections. The epic part of the work only reinforces the overwhelming impression while the slow progression of the song structure are ending with an apotheosis. “Shabriri” and “Iso” both are great exposures from Sal-Ocin composer skills. I also have to say a word about the great artwork (digipak) while the visual concept of this release is something ‘new’ and interesting.

– – – : I regret there are only four tracks delivered, but quality is definitely better than quantity!

Conclusion: Empusae is not only a very single project in its genre, but it also is a project that never stops to improve little details from the writing and production. This is probably the darkest- and maybe the most intimate work to date, and for sure the opus magnum from the Empusae discography.

Best songs: “Shabribri”, “Iso”, “Purah”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.empusae.com / www.facebook.com/empusaemusic

Label: http://consouling.be / www.facebook.com/ConsoulingSounds